For today’s #FlightyFridays I figured I’d share a broader view of my research. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to present my work at the Linda Hall Library, a wonderful institution in Kansas City for anyone interested in the study of science, technology, and engineering (its “collection encompasses more than half a million monograph volumes and more than 48,000 journal titles”). I was a fellow there for three months, and came across some exciting finds in their Rare Books Collection, some of which are showcased in the presentation.
So, if you’re interested in understanding how the balloon went from being this exciting innovation in the late eighteenth century, to quickly becoming obsolete in the early nineteenth century, only to then be rediscovered as modern as the twentieth century approached, this is just the thing for you!
The video is also available in the Linda Hall Library’s Facebook Page.